The Question

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You know you've been working dispatch too long when…

Between the 'regular' callers, the inaudible mumblers, the complete lack of useful information-givers, and the real-life bone-chilling emergencies, dispatchers have heard and dealt with it all, and like police officers, no one can quite relate to the stresses of the job better than their peers. So what are the tell-tale signs that you’re a seasoned dispatcher?

You can understand three different conversations at a restaurant taking place at the same time. — Travis Bell

When you are off and still using 10-codes in regular conversation — Savana Hyde

When you give the time after you leave someone a voicemail. — Mistie Lamb

When you go to take a nap on your lunch break and you dream about dispatching — Letta Baer

When you know the address, phone number, and name of your regular [callers] by heart. — MoniqueAurielle Rachal

You automatically grant lunch to that officer that always requests it at the same time everyday right down to the nanosecond before he asks for it. — Sambath Ou

When you have every call nature code memorized! — Mike Calvillo

You answer the phone ‘911 dispatch’ when you’re at home — Patricia Harrison

When you hear a random office phone ring and you twitch for a split second thinking you have to answer it. — Arturo Lopez

When you know you hear officers talking in public before you actually see them. —​ Amber Olson

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"The Question" section brings together user-generated articles from our Facebook page based on questions we pose to our followers, as well as some of the best content we find on Quora, a question-and-answer website created, edited and organized by its community of users who are often experts in their field. The site aggregates questions and answers for a range of topics, including public safety. The questions and answers featured here on P1 are posted directly from Quora, and the views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of P1.